News and Updates

PUTTING YOURSELF FIRST THIS SILLY SEASON

The end of the year might be drawing to a close but that doesn’t mean our lives are winding down. For many, this end-of-year period is the busiest and most stressful time of the year as deadlines move forward and to-do lists seem to double.

Keeping a clear head is not always easy to do when you’re juggling so many balls at the same time. The key, according to Patrick, is to recognise your stress triggers, get into a healthy routine and take the time to put yourself first.

Start your day with a big result. Pick one thing on your to-do list that’s important to get done, and do that first, rather than doing all the little jobs and procrastinating about the tasks that may seem more difficult or that could take you a bit longer. This will give you a sense of accomplishment straight away which will do wonders for your motivation levels all day long.

Avoid sugary treats as rewards. After a childhood of being rewarded for good behaviour with sweets, many people associate sugary treats as a source of comfort and will indulge when things get stressful. Doing this will only heighten that feeling of stress as your blood-sugar levels peak and then crash, leaving you feeling frazzled and out of control. Rather, take a chromium supplement and make yourself a good, healthy meal of a Low-GL snack.

Move more. Exercise helps to boost your mood which increases the feel-good endorphins as well as your serotonin levels. Making time for a quick, brisk walk outside in natural surroundings will lift your mood, clear your mind and give you a sense of direction, literally! ‘Vital-energy-generating’ exercises, such as yoga and t’ai chi can also have many positive benefits on your mood. Exercises like this are designed to generate energy and bring your focus to the moment, or mindfulness.

Sleep more. Between moving more and sleeping more, you might be wondering when there is any time to actually get anything done but an energised body and well-rested mind will enable you to clearly focus and enhance efficiency and productivity in everything you do.

Light the way. Vitamin D has increasingly been shown to boost mood but, worryingly, many people, even in our tropical climate, don’t get enough of it – which makes sense if you think that you probably spend most of your day indoors! Fresh air is also important so make a point of waking up a little bit early and enjoying the early morning sunshine with a quick, energetic walk.

Be realistic. Setting yourself goals are a great motivational tool but unattainable goals can often lead to unfinished business, causing you more stress than motivation. Learn to say no and don’t take on something new until you have finished the last task.

Feel it out. No one feels happy all the time. It is natural to experience sadness, anger and fear, and it is completely healthy to feel down when you are processing significant losses or changes in life. Your feelings are there to show you something. The trick is to understand how you can learn from them and how to express them in a healthy way and then move on.

Enjoy yourself. Make sure you do something that is just for you every day. Go for a walk, watch a film, have a massage, sign up for a course on something you’ve always wanted to do. It doesn’t matter if you’re good at it; it’s fun to learn new things.

FEED YOUR BRAIN

Patrick has developed a range of supplements specifically to assist in providing essential nutrients to the brain to help boost brain power, memory and mood.

If you’re feeling that end of year slump don’t miss these special offers, available at Dis-Chem Pharmacies nationwide from the 17 November – 10 December.